NBA Matchups: March 6

Orlando Magic (back end) at Washington Wizards

Team Totals: Magic 115.3, Wizards 107.8

Injury Report: Magic on a B2B

Wizards projected starters: Tyus Jones, Landry Shamet, Bilal Coulibaly, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma

Magic projected starters: Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Keefe quotes: Said their first-half defense wasn’t “good at all”, said he didn’t have an update on Bagley, said Poole really cares and is playing with pace, said Bilal looked good in his return and it was good to get him back on the court.

Mosley quotes: Said Fultz was able to push the pace at the right time, talked about Paolo’s playmaking again.

Stats and Notes: 

*The Magic should get Markelle Fultz back, but we’ll see how they handle it with some other possible rest. The Wizards continue to get worse with their rim defense, as they’re up to 49.9 rim points allowed per game. Part of the reason it’s been so bad is because they are just getting dominated in transition these days at a ludicrous 31.0 points allowed per game. The Magic are just solid defensively these days at 11th over the last month, and they’re still really taking away 3-point shooting. On-ball guys have been able to get to them because they don’t double most games, allowing the fifth-most PNR handler points per game. Maybe the Washington on-ball scorers can keep them in it with Orlando traveling in today and Washington waiting for them.

*Franz Wagner has owned the Wizards, posting a 30/7/7 line over his three games against them. He just crushes bad rim defenses, and getting Bilal Coulibaly on him instead should really matter (they usually put Deni on him; there’s a chance they still do that and put Bilal on Paolo). As great as this matchup is for anyone, there aren’t many perimeter players who like it more than Franz Wagner.

*Paolo Banchero looks like he’s over the illness that messed him up at the turn of the monthly calendar. Paolo has been a little underwhelming in this matchup with a 19/7/6 line with Kyle Kuzma guarding him in the previous matchups, but that might change with either Deni or Bilal guarding him. Paolo’s role was still pretty solid in the last Fultz game at 5.8 minutes of touch time. I still like the matchup more for Franz, but Paolo could easily go off in this spot.

*Centers against the Wizards might be the best DVP ever, so Wendell Carter Jr. has to be in play here. The concern is he just isn’t showing a minutes ceiling, and the B2B doesn’t help. Moe Wagner could also be worth a look here.

*The Wizards don’t give up C&S stuff as much as their terrible rim D, so this wouldn’t be a Gary Harris spot. Jalen Suggs doesn’t really benefit as much compared to the Paolo and Franz types, but it’s solid just because the Wizards are that bad.

*Kyle Kuzma hasn’t been terrible in this matchup with a 22/4/4 line with Franz Wagner set to guard him again. Kuzma’s role hasn’t really changed too much with the lineup change that put Poole in the second unit, but Keefe is still willing to play him in the upper 30s. He’s fine, but losing the off-ball scoring component does hurt him.

*The matchup is somewhat sneaky for Jordan Poole. The Wizards do get beat by PNR handlers, and his PNR possessions have ticked up a ton since the break. It sounds awful to play Poole against a good defense, but don’t be surprised if he’s the team’s leading scorer today.

*Tyus Jones could have a softer matchup on him with possibly Markelle Fultz or Anthony Black. The assist chances may not be there as much as against most teams because the Magic don’t help off much.

*The Wizards do like that small-ball lineup, so it could lead to a stupid amount of paint points. Based on some practice videos, it looked like Landry Shamet was running with the ones while Richaun Holmes was with the twos.

Great matchups: Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr.

Good matchups: Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, Tyus Jones

Bad matchups: Bilal Coulibaly

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Cleveland Cavaliers (back end) at Atlanta Hawks (back end)